In the Maori world, death is an important part of life. This section of the mihi acknowleges those who have gone.
Stage 3 - Poroporoaki
In the Maori world, death is an important part of life and without those who have gone before us, we would not be here today. The following samples are just some ways to acknowledge our mate. The basic format for this section is to greet the mate, then to farewell them, as shown in the first example.
| Tena Koutou i o tatou tini mate | Greetings to our many dead |
| Haere, haere, haere. | Farewell, farewell, farewell. |
| Tena Koutou i o koutou tini mate | Greetings to your many dead |
| No reira, haere e nga mate | Therefore, farewell the dead |
| Haere ki te wa kainga | Go to the home of all time |
| Haere ki te kainga tuturu | Go to the true home |
| O to tatou Matua i te rangi | Of our Creator |
| Haere, haere, haere. | Farewell, farewell, farewell. |
| Mauria mai i o koutou tini mate | Carry your many dead |
| Hoki atu ki te Kaihanga | Return to the Creator |
| Ki te karanga o Hinenuiitepo | To the call of Hinenuiitepo |
| Ki te po nui | To the large night |
| Ki te po roa | To the long night |
| Ki te po kahore he otinga | To the night without end |
| Ko te tatau o te po i mua i a koe | The doorway of the night is before you |
| Hoki atu ki te kaitiaki o te po | Return to the guardian of the night |
| No reira, haere, haere, haere. | Therefore, farewell, farewell, farewell. |
| Tena koutou i o tatou tini mate | Greetings to our many dead |
| Koutou kua wheturangitia | You who have been adorned as stars |
| Ki te korowai o Ranginui | In the heavens |
| Koutou kua wehe atu ki te po | You who have departed to the night |
| Ki te tua o Te Arai | To beyond Te Arai |
| Ki te okiokinga | To the resting place |
| I o tatou tupuna | Of our ancestors |
| Haere, haere, haere. | Farewell, farewell, farewell. |
Notes
Korowai o Ranginui translates as the cloak of Ranginui, but is the poetical reference to the stars in the heavens.
Tikanga Index
Mobile Home